Wirebound container



Oct. 12, 1965 J. M CREA 3,1193% WIREBOUND CONTAINER Filed Feb. 11, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Jose 76 Oct. 12, 1965 J, McCREA 3,211,356

WIREBOUND CONTAINER Filed Feb. 11, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN TOR.

Oct. 12, 1965 J. MOCREA 3,211,356

WIREBOUND CONTAINER Filed Feb. 11, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet s I24 INVENTOR.

wa 0b McCrca BY United States Patent 3,211,356 WIREBOUND CONTAINER Joseph McCrea, Rockaway, N.J., assignor to Stapling Machines Co., Rockaway, N.J., a corporation of Delaware Filed Feb. 11, 1963, Ser. No. 257,541 lClaim. (Cl.22923) The present invention relates to wirebound containers and particularly to containers of the type used for shipping fruits and vegetables.

The invention provides a composite container formed from a wirebound box blank having four side sections each having longitudinally extending cleats at each of its lateral edges with face material stapled thereto on at least the front, bottom and rear side sections. The face material may consist of a unitary sheet of foldable material, such as corrugated fiberboard, which extends the full length of these three sections.

The several sections are foldably secured together by longitudinally extending binding wires which are secured thereto by staples driven astride the binding wires, through the face material (in those side sections which have face material), and into the cleats. The opposite ends of the outside binding wires are provided with interengageable loop fasteners, and when the blank is folded around to set up the container, these loop fasteners are engaged to secure it in box form.

Secured to the cleats at opposite ends of one of the side sections are two end members of foldable sheet material, such as corrugated fiberboard, which are folded around the inner corners of said cleats and against the inner faces of the cleats on all four of the side sections to close the ends of the container. Projecting tabs may be provided at the free end of each of the end members for engagement in slots in the face material of the side section opposite that to which the end members are attached to secure the end members in proper position against the inner faces of the cleats.

' In some embodiments of the invention, the top of the container is closed by lid members of foldable sheet material, such as corrugated fiberboard, which are stapled to the cleats at opposite ends of the top side section and extend across the top side section to overlap at its central portion. The upper one of these overlapping lid members may be provided with a short binding wire which is aligned with an intermediate binding wire extending around the front, bottom and rear side sections, and the adjoining ends of these binding wires are fastened together to secure the container closed and to resist bulging of the face material in the central portion of the container. Where the face material of the front, bottom and rear sections is formed from a unitary piece of foldable sheet material which extends across all these sections, as previously described, this sheet of material may be made long enough to provide at its opposite ends a pair of foldable flaps which respectively extend over the front and rear portions of the top section. Where lid members are also provided, as described above, these flaps may be folded beneath the lid members. The upper one of the overlapping lid members may be provided at its front and rear edges with outwardly projecting, hookshaped tabs which are adapted to be folded downwardly and inserted, in interlocking relation, through narrow slots in the face material at the upper front and rear corners of the container, to hold the lid members down against the top of the box. Alternatively, the flaps may be made wide enough to abut or overlap at the center portion of the top section, thereby dispensing with the necessity of the separate lid members. During fabrication of the box blank, the lateral edge portions of these flaps may be folded back inwardly along diagonal lines 3,211,356 Patented Oct. 12, 1965 to expose the upper surfaces of the cleats on the top section and permit the driving of staples therein without interference from the flaps.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is an isometric view of a sheet of corrugated fiberboard face material for use in a container embodying features of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is an isometric view of one of two combination end and lid units, as employed in the container, showing in broken lines the lid portion thereof in its original position, and in full lines its position after being folded over onto the end portion for fabrication into the container.

FIGURE 3 is an isometric view of a complete wirebound container blank incorporating the component units of FIGURES 1 and 2.

FIGURE 4 is an isometric view, at slightly enlarged scale, of the container blank of FIGURE 3 folded into container form, with certain portions broken away to show the end portion of the combination end and lid unit folded downwardly into position to close the end of the container and the lid portion folded upwardly to a vertical position to allow filling of the container.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary isometric view of the container of FIGURE 4 after closure.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary isometric view of an alternative container construction within the scope of the present invention in which the flaps on the face material are suificiently large to serve as lid members.

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary isometric view of another container of modified construction within the purview of the invention, in which separate end units and lid units are attached to opposite side sections of the container.

FIGURE 8 is an isometric view of an alternative form of combination end and lid unit having locking tabs for securing the lid members in closed position against the top of the container, showing in full lines the end portion thereof in its original fiat position and in broken lines its position after being folded beneath the lid portion for fabrication into the container blank.

FIGURE 9 is an isometric view of a complete wirebound container blank incorporating the combination end and lid unit of FIGURE 8.

FIGURE 10 is an isometric View, at enlarged scale, of the container blank of FIGURE 9 folded into container form, with the upper one of the overlapping lid members being shown in broken lines in the process of being closed and in full lines in the fully closed position with the locking tabs inserted through slots in the face material of the container and interlocked therewith to secure the lid members down against the top of the container.

In FIGURE 1 there is shown a sheet of corrugated fiberboard face material 2, the under surface of which is provided with two transverse lines of scoring 4 which are spaced at appropriate intervals to facilitate folding of the sheet around the corners of the container to cover its front, bottom and rear side sections 6, 8 and 10 (FIG- URE 3), respectively. Each of the four corners of the sheet 2 has a generally rectangular cutout 14, thus providing at each end of the sheet a short projecting flap 12. Near each lateral edge of the portion of the sheet which overlies the bottom section 8, is provided a pair of longitudinally extending die-cut slots 16. The sheet may also be provided with a plurality of die-cut ventilating holes 17.

In FIGURE 2 there is shown one of the two one-piece combination end and lid units 18 employed in the container, each of which includes an end portion 20 and a lid portion 22 foldably divided by a transverse score .24. Stapled to one face of the lid portion 22 of one of the two end and lid units 18 a short distance from its free end is a short, transversely extending binding wire 26 whose ends are provided with conventional loop fasteners 28 which project a short distance beyond the front and rear edges of the lid member. Preparatory to placing the end and lid units 18 in the wirebound box-making machine for fabrication into the container blank, the lid portion 22 is folded over from its fiat position shown in broken lines 30 into its folded position overlying the end portion 20, as shown in full lines at 32.

Each of the combination end and lid units 18 is also provided with a transverse score 34 in the upper face of the lid portion 22 and another score 36 opposite thereto in the under face of the end portion 20. The two scores are each spaced from the folded end of the unit 18 a distance approximately equal to the thickness of the cleats of the container so that, as best showon in FIG- URE 4, when the units are assembled in the container with the folded ends in alignment with the outer corners of the cleats 38 of the top side section, the scores are substantially in alignment with the inner corners of the cleats 38. Thus, as shown in FIGURE 4, the lid portions 22 may readily be folded upwardly and the end portions downwardly in line with the inner corners of the cleats 38.

As may be seen in FIGURE 3, the trailing end flap 12 of the face material 2 overlies the adjacent edge portion of one of the end and lid units 18, but the cutouts 14 at either end of the flap permit the binding wires 40 which are positioned atop the lateral edges of the face material 2 to lie directly against the edge portions of the end and lid units 18 across the entire top section 18 of the container blank.

As also shown in FIGURE 3, the binding wires 40 are secured to the components of the container blank in the usual manner by staples 41 driven astride the binding wires 40, through the face material and into the cleats, such as 38. The opposite ends of each of the two out side binding wires are provided with conventional loop fasteners 42. As shown in FIGURE 4, when the container blank is folded around to set up the container, the loop fasteners 42 at the opposite ends of each of the outside binding wires are interengaged to secure the container in box form, the cutouts 14 providing clearance for unimpeded interengagement of the loop fasteners.

Referring again to FIGURES 2 and 3, it may be seen that the end portion 20 of each of the end and lid units 18 has at its free end a spaced pair of short projecting tabs 44. When the end portions 20 are folded downwardly around the inner corners of the cleats 38 and against the inner faces of the cleats, as shown in FIGURE 4, these tabs 44 are received in the slots 16 (see also FIGURES 1 and 3) in the face material of the bottom section 8, thus locking the container ends 20 in position to cover the central openings in the cleat frameworks at the respective ends of the container.

As may be seen in FIGURES 3, 4 and 5, midway between the outside binding wires 40 there is secured a shorter intermediate binding wire 48 which is of such length that it extends around the front, bottom and rear sections 6, 8 and 10 of the container, with its ends projecting a short distance above the upper edges of the front and back sections 6 and 10. The ends of the intermediate binding wire 48 are bent into eye loops 50 to prevent snagging or injury. When the lid portions 22 and 22a are pressed downwardly into overlapping relation to close the top, as shown in FIGURE 5, the loops 50 are inserted through the loop fasteners 28 of the upper lid portion 22 and bent downwardly against the container sides to secure the lid portions in closed position.

In FIGURE 6 there is shown an alternative embodiment of the present invention, in which the sheet of corrugated fiberboard face material 52 is of sufiicient length not only to extend over the front, bottom and rear side sections 54, 56 and 58 respectively, of the container but also to provide integral flaps 60 at either end of such length as to cover the top of the container. This obviates the necessity for providing lid portions in conjunction with the end members 62. These end members are merely flat sheets of corrugated fiberboard which are stapled along one edge to the upper faces of the cleats on the top section of the container, and are scored along lines coincident with the inner corners of the cleats for folding downwardly about these corners and outwardly against the inner faces of the cleats at the end of the container, as shown in the cutaway area at 66.

To facilitate the driving of staples astride the binding wires 68 and into the cleats 64 during the fabrication of the container blank, as well as the interengagement of the loop fasteners 70 during assembly of the container, the flaps 60 are scored along oblique lines to provide at each end generally triangular portions 72 which are folded downwardly against the under surface of the flaps 60 during fabrication and assembly. Before folding the flaps 60 downwardly to close the top of the container, these triangular portions 72 are unfolded to restore them to their initial flat position, as indicated by broken lines 74, and when the flaps 60 are pressed downwardly, these triangular portions 72 are supported on top of the cleats 64, and may be secured thereto by staples or other suitable means.

Another alternative embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGURE 7. In this construction, as in the two previously described, a transversely scored unitary sheet of corrugated fiberboard face material 76 is used to provide coverage for the front, bottom and rear side sections 78, 80 and 82, respectively. This sheet is also provided at each end with integral flaps 84 which are considerably shorter than the flaps 60 of the container of FIGURE 6. The corners of the sheet are also provided with cutouts similar to and for the same purpose as the cutouts 14 of the embodiment of FIGURES 1 to 5. In the container of FIGURE 7, the end members 86 and the lid members 88 are separate pieces of prescored corrugated fiberboard. The end members 86 are secured between the face material 76 and the cleats 92 of the bottom section 80, and are scored at 90 along the inner corners of the cleats 92 to allow the end members to be folded upwardly about these corners and outwardly against the inner faces of the cleats at the container end, as indicated by the arrow 94 in FIGURE 7. Another score 96 is provided near the opposite end of each of the end members 86 to provide a short flap 98 which, when the container is closed, is folded downwardly to overlie the adjacent ends of the flaps 84.

The lid members 88 are secured to the cleats 102 of the top section 104 and each is provided with score in its outer face at a location corresponding to the inner corner of the adjacent cleat 102. To close the container, the flaps 84 of face material 76 are folded inwardly and downwardly to a horizontal position with their notched lateral edges wedged between and frictionally engaging the inner faces of the end members 86. The flaps 98 of the end members 86 are next folded inwardly and downwardly to overlie the adjacent end portions of the flaps 84, and finally the lid members 88 are folded inwardly and downwardly to close the container. Their free ends, which may either abut or overlap, may then be secured by staples or tape.

FIGURE 8 shows an alternative construction of combination end and lid unit which is generally similar to the unit of FIGURE 2, except that the unit of FIG- URE 8, instead of being provided with a binding wire 26 with loop fasteners 28 (FIGURE 2) thereon for securing the lid members in closed position, i provided with locking tab portions 106, which project laterally outwardly from opposite side edges of the lid portion 108 of the unit. These tabs 106 are generally hookshaped, being separated at one side from the lid portion 108 of the unit by notches 110. The sheet material is provided with a score 112 which extends transversely of the lid portion 108 between the inner ends of the notches 110. It is also provided with a pair of scores 113 which respectively extend longitudinally of the sheet from the inner ends of the notches 110 to the adjacent end of the sheet.

An additional transverse score 114 divides the lid portion 108 of the unit from the end portion 118, and a pair of transverse scores 116 are provided at either side of the score 114, being spaced therefrom a distance ap proximately equal to the width of the container cleats. Before fabrication of the combination end and lid unit into the container blank, the end portion 118 is folded downwardly along the score 114 and beneath the lid portion 108, as shown in broken lines in FIGURE 8.

FIGURE 9 shows a complete container blank incorporating the combination end and lid unit of FIGURE 8, which is indicated generally at 120, together with another combination end and lid unit, generally indicated 122, which is similar in construction but which omits the locking tabs 106.

The face material 124 of the blank is formed of a unitary sheet of corrugated fiberboard or similar material which extends the full length of the front, bottom and rear section 126, 128 and 130, respectively, and is notched to provide flaps 132 which project a short distance from either end. The face material is provided with transversely extending slots 134 at the center of each of the two transverse scores 136 which divide the flaps 132 from the remainder of the sheet of face material 124.

As shown in FIGURE 10, when the container blank is folded around to set up the container, the end portions 118 of the combination end and lid unit are folded along the score lines 116 (FIGURE 8) around the inner cornew of the cleats 138 at the top of the container and against the inner faces of the cleats on all four sides of the container, thereby closing the container ends. The flaps 132 at the ends of the face material 124 are bent inwardly and downwardly to overlie the front and rear portions of the top of the container, as shown in broken lines in FIGURE 10. Then the lid portion 140 of the right-hand combination end and lid unit 122 (as viewed in FIGURE 10) is bent inwardly and downwardly over the top of the container to overlie the flaps 132. Then, as shown in broken lines in FIGURE 10, the tabs 106 on the lid portion 108 of the other combination end and lid unit are then bent downwardly along the scores 113 and the outer end of the lid portion 108 is folded up- Wardly along the score 112 so that the hook-like projecting ends of the tabs 106 are directed toward the slots 134 at the base of the flaps 132. Then the lid member 108 is pressed downwardly so that the tabs 106 are inserted endwise through the slots 134. Finally, the upwardly projecting outer end of the lid portion 108 is pressed downwardly against the upper surface of the container, as shown in full lines in FIGURE 10, hooking the tabs 106 around the under surfaces of the flaps 132 to secure the two lid members in closed position against the top of the container.

This arrangement has the advantage that the upper lid member is not required to be provided with a separate binding wire 26 and loop fasteners 28, nor does the container have to be provided with an intermediate binding wire 48 (FIGURE 3); yet the upper lid member may be readily interlocked with the sides of the container to secure the lid members in closed position.

Among the many advantageous features of the wirebound containers of the present invention are these: the design of the container is such that a complete container blank, including the lid and ends, may be formed as an integral unit in one pass of the components beneath the stapling units of a conventional wirebound box-making machine; the container blank may easily and quickly be set up into container form; the lid members, being hingedly attached to the container ends, are readily held in an upright or outwardly flared position with the ends serving as a funnel to guide the contents intothe container and prevent spilling; the upper lid member may be provided with locking tabs which may be readily engaged with the sides of the container to secure the lid members in closed position. Or, alternatively, the container may be provided with an intermediate binding wire whose ends are interengaged with the ends of a short binding wire on the upper lid section to resist bulging of the central portion of the container, while its detachable interengagement with the loop fasteners on the lid members permits easy closure and opening for unloading or inspection of the contents.

However, it should be emphasized that the particular embodiments of the invention which are described herein and shown in the accompanying drawings are intended as merely illustrative of the principles of the invention and not as restrictive of the scope thereof, which is limited only by the appended claim.

I claim:

A wirebound container comprising four side sections formed of cleats whose ends adjoin to form a rectangular frame at each end of said container and a unitary sheet of foldable face material extending around the front, bottom and rear side sections of said container and stapled to the cleats thereof, with the two end portions of said face material forming foldable flaps extending respectively over the front and rear portions of the top side section, with said side sections foldably secured together by at least two encircling binding wires stapled thereto, said binding wires extending around all four of said side sections with their opposite ends fastened together at a corner of said container to secure it in box form, two end members formed of fold-able sheet material respectively stapled between the binding wires and the cleats at opposite ends of one of said side sections, and being folded around the inner corners of said cleats and against the inner faces of the cleats on all of said side sections to close the ends of said container, two lid members formed of foldable sheet material respectively stapled between the binding wires and the cleats at opposite ends of the top side section, and extending therefrom across the top side section to overlap said flaps and to overlap one another at a central portion of said top side section and close the top of said container, hookshaped locking tabs projecting from opposite side edges of the upper one of said lid members near its outer end, slots extending through said flaps adjacent their juncture with the front and rear sides of said container, said lid member being transversely scored to facilitate folding its outer end portion upwardly for insertion of said locking tabs through said slots to secure said lid members in closed position on the top of said container.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 945,383 l/10 Fassnacht 217-12 1,045,648 11/12 Walter 217-12 1,646,670 10/ 27 Walter 229-23 1,862,980 6/32 Prather et a1. 229-45 1,963,272 6/34 Kammert 229-23 2,022,538 11/35 Colbie 217-12 2,039,859 5/36 Watkins 229-23 2,040,313 5/36 Jordan 229-23 2,323,782 7/43 Kretchmer. 2,404,067 7/46 Hill 229-45 2,881,969 4/59 Upton 229-23 3,009,596 11/ 61 Kubes 217-47 THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

EARLE J. DRUMMOND, GEORGE O. RALSTON,

Examiners. 

